1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for handling, and delivering and supplying to a remote banking unit a large charge or supply of paper money in a sealed container, which charge or supply is packed or loaded, and locked or sealed, in the container at a central bank; and which container is delivered in locked condition to the remote banking unit by an accountable messenger where the container is mounted in retainer means of the remote cash dispensing system banking unit, and where the container may be unlocked only while held in retained position in the unit.
More particularly, the invention relates to a locked container charged while unlocked at a bank with a paper money supply for an automatic banking system remotely located money dispenser, which locked container cannot be opened without physical damage, that discloses any occurrence of tampering with the container at any time when not located at the bank where loading occurs or while retained at the remote unit; and in connection with which money shortage in the container at any time discloses unauthorized entry.
Further, the invention relates to a handling system and container for paper money bills in which depletion of the paper money content of the container to a predetermined minimum number of bills is signaled by such depletion.
Finally, the invention relates to a sealed tamper-indicating container adapted to be used in the manner described in coordination with components of an automatic banking system remotely located money dispenser, to provide a new system of handling, delivering and supplying a charge of paper money to the remote banking unit under conditions of maximum security.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic banking units for dispensing paper money at remote locations must contain a supply of paper money for delivery to a bank customer to carry out a requested and authorized money dispensing operation. Heretofore, the paper money supply has been loaded as loose money directly at the remote unit into a money supply compartment from which it is picked and conveyed to an opening in the unit accessible to the customer. The supply of paper money used to load the remote unit compartments ordinarily has been in the possession of authorized bank personnel who make service calls on a number of remote automatic banking units at intervals frequently enough to avoid exhausted money supplies at any units. These service calls also involve inspection, adjustment, etc. of the units as well as replenishing the money supply in all units requiring additional money.
The handling, delivering and supplying of loose money by authorized and trusted bank personnel in this manner is vulnerable to attack at any time during transportation of the money from the bank to the various remote units, and during loading of loose money into money-receiving pockets of any of the remote units.
Also, careful and complicated accounting procedures must be established and followed to record the disposition of currency to each and all units serviced by the bank service personnel as well as the accounting necessary concerning currency charged to and distributed to remote units by personnel performing the servicing operation, to determine the existence or amounts of accidental or surreptitious shortages.
These matters which characterize the present systems of servicing remote automatic banking units, and of maintaining the necessary supply of paper money in all units, may involve serious security problems at any time.
There are no provisions in the prior art, of which we are aware, for maximum security in the handling, delivery and supplying of paper money to remote unattended automatic banking units under locked or sealed and readily accountable conditions. There thus exists a need in the field of dispensing paper money at remote automatic banking system units for a system and equipment for delivering paper money in sealed tamper-indicating money dispensing containers, by accountable messengers, who have no direct access to the paper money, per se, and who may be armed accountable guards of armored banking media transportation and delivery service systems.